Al Smith

Alvin A. Smith is President of AA Smith & Associates, LLC, a Delaware based management consulting firm founded in 1998, specializing in Executive Development and Strategic Diversity Management.

Al is a wonderful “storyteller” who provides a compelling firsthand account of the lessons he learned, and the experiences he endured during his career. He is uniquely qualified to discuss the “dimensions of leadership” as well as the cultural dynamics at every level of the company structure. He is a strong advocate for leveling the playing field by “managing diversity.”

Al has been recognized as a visionary leader who shares the principles that guided his life and fueled his remarkable career. His passionate presentations are provocative, bold, and insightful. His unique style is informative, entertaining, and inspirational.

Al is nationally known for his twenty years of leadership at Avon Products where he was instrumental in developing leading edge diversity management strategies.

While at Avon, Al was responsible for working closely with senior management to design, develop and implement leadership development programs, including workplace flexibility programs and performance-based skill development. Such programs supported efforts in managing and understanding the dynamics of the business as it relates to diversity. Al was instrumental in helping Avon become a recognized global leader of diversity management and a model for other Fortune 500 companies.

Al is currently an Adjunct Instructor at Cornell University, teaching the Fundamentals of Diversity & Inclusion and The Emerging Trends of Diversity & Inclusion. He is also a member of the Advisory Board for The Black Achiever’s in Industry Council for the Harlem YMCA. He is a former member of the Board of Directors of The Institute for Global Ethics, a former member of the Executive Board of Directors for “Plays for Living”, and a former member of the Advisory Board of TouroCom Medical School.

Al has a Bachelor of Science in Management from New York University Stern Business School, a Marketing Management from Atlanta University Graduate School and is an American Management Association (AMA) certified trainer. Al is also a certified DiSC Behavioral Instructor. His other achievements include: Human Resource Specialist Training from the Walker Group.